


Significant Changes

by afteriwake



Series: Lingering Winter [14]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-16
Updated: 2012-10-16
Packaged: 2017-11-16 11:22:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/538895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the senseless murders of his daughter, Isshin contemplates a change.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Significant Changes

**Author's Note:**

> There's a much longer gap between "Important Topics" and this one, one of a few years, to the point that Yuzu and Karin were sixteen.

Isshin knocked on the door with a sigh, waiting for an answer. He knew it would come. It always did. Even with the increase in regularity of the visits, she would always answer his knock, welcome him in, and offer him tea. Normally Unohana opened the door with a warm smile, but today there was a frown on her face. “Any news?”

“They found Yuzu in District 73,” he said. “Still no sign of Karin, though.”

A look of relief swept over Unohana’s face. “That’s a bit of good news, at least.” She moved out of the doorway to let him in, noting the sagging shoulders and weary pace he set.

It was not the same as it had been when Ichigo died. Or rather, when his physical body died; Ichigo had been taking care of a Hollow and Kon was in his body when he got hit by a car pushing a little girl out of the way. Ichigo’s body was so broken that even with healing he would never be the same. Ichigo had only just turned seventeen at the time, but he decided it would be best if he went to Soul Society and joined the Gotei 13. He became Captain of the 5th squad and seemed rather happy, especially since Urahara had a specially designed gigai that looked nothing like Ichigo for him to use to visit Orihime, Uryuu, Chad and Tatsuki as well as his family. They all knew that when the dark haired man with Ichigo’s smile came around that it was Ichigo, even if they had to call him by another name; in private, though, he was still Ichigo.

But this…this was a new heartbreak. Karin and Yuzu, just sixteen years old, had been traveling to visit friends when they were mugged. Even after the girls gave the mugger their money, he shot them both and left them for dead. Immediately after hearing the news Urahara sent word to Soul Society and Ichigo was personally leading a group of shinigami to look for his sisters, and Rukia and Renji were heading up similar groups. Isshin had departed for Soul Society as quickly as he could, but there had been many matters to take care of first, even with Urahara’s help. 

They were hoping that the girls would still have their memories, still know that they were part of the Shiba clan and to go to Kuukaku and Ganju, but for a while no one knew anything, at least until Shunsui had told the just arrived Isshin that members of his squad had found Yuzu and she had been trying to find out where Kuukaku and Ganju were. The relief had been staggering, but it didn’t completely take away the fear that they would not find Karin. Still, this news gave him hope. They were bringing her to the 4th squad headquarters since Isshin had told them he would be with Unohana, and right now he just needed to let it all soak in. Unohana looked at him, and then motioned for him to sit down as she made him tea. She could only imagine the ache in his heart right now. 

“She was looking for her cousins,” he said, leaning back his head and shutting his eyes. “I _told_ Kuukaku she needed to stop moving the house.”

“She has her memories,” Unohana said with a smile. “That means Karin must as well.”

“Yeah,” he said. “Karin’s tough. She’ll find her way to them unless someone finds her first.” Unohana stopped making the tea and placed a hand on his shoulder as she stood over him. He put a hand on top of hers and opened his eyes, looking up at her. “Thanks.”

She smiled at him and turned her hand to give his a squeeze before going back to the tea. “I had hoped our next visit would be under different circumstances than these,” she said softly.

“I did too,” he said, lifting his head up to look at her. “I’ve been giving some thought to the suggestion General Yamamoto made to me the last time I was here.”

She froze. “The one where, if you were to return to Soul Society, you would take your place as a Captain again?”

He nodded. “There was a catch, though. All the Captain spots are taken, and none of the Captains deserve to lose their rank. So… he made the offer to create a new squad.”

Unohana dropped the cup she had been holding on the floor, where it thankfully did not break. “A fourteenth squad?”

He nodded, getting up to pick up the cup. “Yeah. He must really want me to come back here. And…well, now there’s nothing left for me in the world of the living, so I’m thinking I’ll do it.” He looked at her. “Would that make you happy?” he asked quietly.

“Very much, yes,” she said with a nod. “Even though you’ve been coming more frequently, it would be nice to have you here again.”

He nodded. “Then as soon as we find Karin, I’ll let him know.”

Unohana was about to respond when there was another knock at her door. She and Isshin both went to the doorway to see Isane standing there, a smile on her face. “Captain Unohana, Isshin. Yuzu is with Ichigo at the 5th squad headquarters. Kuukaku Shiba let us know that Karin found her and that she’s safe.”

Unohana turned to Isshin. “This is a very good day, then,” she said with a smile.

“Yeah,” he said, a warm smile on his face. “Can I have my tea with you later? I need to go to Yuzu now.”

“Yes, of course,” Unohana said with a nod. She moved out of the doorway so he could leave with Isane, but he reached over for her and gave her a hug instead. She hugged him back and held him for a moment before finally letting go. “I will see you later, then.”

Isshin followed Isane out into the hallway and Unohana closed the door after them. Only when she was alone did she smile a very large smile. Isshin would be coming back, and his daughters had been found, and things seemed to be right with the world once again.


End file.
